Dhs Faces Funding Deadline. And, Courts Fast-track Somali Asylum Seeker Hearings - Beritaja

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Today's apical stories

The Department of Homeland Security's backing will tally retired connected Friday aft Democrats refused to o.k. the money without important changes to migration enforcement. As lawmakers hunt for a solution, a House committee will hear from apical migration officials about their enforcement practices crossed the U.S.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is surrounded by reporters arsenic he walks from his agency to the Senate Chamber astatine the U.S. Capitol connected Feb. 9 successful Washington, D.C. Congress is facing a Friday deadline to money the Department of Homeland Security. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

• 🎧 If a woody is not reached, Congress will request to walk different stopgap measure to money DHS, BERITAJA's Barbara Sprunt tells Up First. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he will commencement prepping a short-term backing measure arsenic a backup option. Democrats look an uphill conflict pinch their demands for officers to show identifying accusation for illustration their past sanction and a prohibition connected look masks. Many Republicans position these requests arsenic nonstarters. Sprunt says she is watching really GOP lawmakers mobility apical migration officials today. While they mostly backmost President Trump's enforcement actions, Republicans person to navigate caller polling that shows a mostly of Americans judge those aforesaid strategies person gone excessively far.

The latest merchandise of Epstein files threatens Britain's ruling government. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces calls for his resignation. He is not implicated successful the Epstein files, but he appointed personification who is.

• 🎧 The calls for Starmer's resignation are owed to his determination to make Peter Mandelson the ambassador to Washington, BERITAJA's Lauren Frayer says. Mandelson faces constabulary investigation for allegedly passing delicate U.K. authorities details to Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson denies immoderate wrongdoing. He resigned from his domiciled past twelvemonth aft revelations that he maintained his relationship pinch Epstein pursuing Epstein's activity crimes conviction. Police are besides investigating erstwhile Prince Andrew, who besides appears successful the files, complete whether he leaked delicate accusation to Epstein erstwhile he was the U.K. waste and acquisition envoy.

Today show big Savannah Guthrie released different video connected Instagram yesterday pleading for the public's thief successful the hunt for her mom. She posted the video about the clip a deadline outlined successful a ransom connection passed. Nancy Guthrie, 84, was past seen adjacent her Arizona location connected Jan. 31.

• 🎧 BERITAJA's Bill Chappell says location is nary consciousness that authorities are immoderate person to uncovering Nancy, moreover though aggregate section and national agencies are moving connected the case. Several media outlets person received ransom messages since Nancy was reported missing. At slightest 1 included specifications about the segment astatine her home. The FBI says it is taking the messages seriously, but it is not clear that they came from group who took Nancy.

Immigration courts abruptly moved up hearings for dozens of asylum cases revenge by Somali migrants complete the weekend, according to 4 lawyers BERITAJA interviewed. Lawyers successful Minnesota, Illinois and Nebraska received notices that hearings group for 2028 and others that were not scheduled yet are now happening this period aliases next. The attorneys fearfulness that the accelerated scheduling whitethorn stifle owed process for their clients. While much than 100 cases person been affected, the attorneys expect that number to climb overmuch higher.

Deep dive

The sun sets complete the U.S. Capitol Building connected Jan. 5, 2023 successful Washington, D.C. Nathan Howard/Getty Images

Nathan Howard/Getty Images

Trump's unpopular policies and actions are creating problems for the GOP. Republicans support losing typical elections and are retiring astatine a faster complaint than Democrats. Voters opportunity they for illustration Democrats to power Congress. Democrats' hopes of taking complete the House are increasing by the day, while the Senate remains a longer shot. Republicans face an uphill battle, peculiarly to clasp power of the House.

• ➡️ An BERITAJA canvass showed 36% of respondents approved of Trump's handling of the economy, but a mostly said tariffs wounded it. Americans sanction the system arsenic their apical concern.
• ➡️ So far, 51 members of the House person announced they are leaving their seats going into the 2026 predetermination cycle: 30 Republicans and 21 Democrats.
• ➡️ The president's fame is an important parameter of electoral occurrence successful midterms. Trump's occupation support standing is 39%, according to the latest BERITAJA/PBS News/Marist poll, which came retired past week.

Picture show

Illustrations by Matt James

In the children's book The One About the Blackbird, a young boy learns to play the guitar from his grandfather. They stock a peculiar emotion for 1 song: The Beatles' "Blackbird." Author Melanie Florence describes the book arsenic an intergenerational emotion story. As an adult, the boy returns location and plays guitar for his grandfather. Though his grandfather now forgets immoderate things, he ne'er loses his adoration for music. Matt James said his family relationship made the communicative resonate, and he knew he had to exemplify it. James' parents are musicians who execute astatine status homes. Take a look astatine the artistic decisions he made to illustrate the story.

3 things to cognize earlier you go

Lindsey Vonn of Team United States crashes during the Women's Downhill Saturday astatine the Winter Olympics successful Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Screengrab by IOC via Getty Images/Getty Images Europe

Screengrab by IOC via Getty Images/Getty Images Europe

1. Team USA prima Lindsey Vonn announced connected Instagram that she suffered a "complex tibia fracture" erstwhile she collapsed successful the Olympic downhill title connected Sunday.
2. New investigation from Mass General Brigham suggests that drinking 2 to 3 cups of regular java aliases 1 to 2 cups of caffeinated beverage regular whitethorn lower the consequence of dementia. (via WBUR)
3. Project Amplify, Nike's caller bionic sneaker, propels wearers farther and faster. BERITAJA tested the prototype astatine Nike's office earlier its expected commercialized motorboat successful 2028.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.